The following pics are my completed M-18 for the Tank Destroyer group build. Friul tracks,Eduard PE, and scratch plumbing incorporated into this build. Please feel free to criticize I’m very open to improving my builds.
Additional buildup pics are on the Tank Destroyer group build page if you’d like to see more interior detail. This build will eventually include sitting on a completed Dragon Wagon in the planning stages now. Semper Fi, Mike
Great job!
It looks good. How is the AFV Club kit?
Eric the AFV kit is suppose to be the more accurate of the two kits out there Academy being the other. Assembly of the suspension is one area you want to be very thoughtful and I do recommend reading the Perth Military Modelling review by: Terry Ashley, at: www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/afvclub/afv35015.htm it is a very good review, and will pretty much prepare you for any doubts about the AFV instructions.
Semper Fi, Mike
Really nice job, Mike! Are you planning on doing another Tank Destroyer? I’m starting to get the itch to get back to my Elephant.[:D][:D] Anyway, WELL DONE!
Nate
Looks like a very clean build.
Well done.
[:)]
Hi Mike,
Looking very good to me.
A couple of questions?
Is the little slit under the tailight lense suppossed to be a back up light? If so it doesn’t appear to be painted.
The area above the right fender running along the headlight appears to have holes. Is this part of the casting?
Also, do the headlights have covers on them?
And last but not least, where’s the dirt?
[swg][swg]
Again a great job!!! [tup][tup]
Joe
What’s there to critisize? Outstanding!!! Love the TD’s!!
Mike!
I can’t stop drooling! It really is great to see a model that represents a nice crisp, clean version of the tank… My question is not to you, but to everyone… WHY must a tank or piece of armour have DIRT on it??? They weren’t dirty ALL OF THE TIME!!! It really is bugging me that kits have to be drowning in mud and dirt to be appreciated!
Mike, your kit is amazing, and to be honest I doubted it was a model, but the real thing!
Looking great Mike! Now I’ll be down to get it soon - you can unglue it from the tool box… No dirt Mike it doesn’t need it - With 10 years in Tanks I can tell you that they spend more time clean then dirty! I spent umpteen hours in the wash bays or in streams cleaning them…
Ken
Mike she looks great!
Dave
James / Ken,
Perhaps I need to clarify my question about the dirt. I wasn’t saying it has to have dirt. I was stating a personal preference by asking a question. I like dirt, but don’t think anything has to have dirt and mud to be appreciated. If you notice there are two [swg]'s following the question. It was meant to be a “tongue in cheek” statement.
Joe [:D]
I think this is a great model and it is detailed very well. The .50 cal is outstanding and I would really like to see some more of the interior. Beautiful work.
Steve
yw18mc your Hellcat looks great and brings a question to mind. I,ve always wondered about the color of the tools.Should they be painted the same green as the rest of the tank or metalic and wood colors ? It seems logical that the tools would all be painted the same O.D. on a new tank .
Sharp build! One detail I really like is the amo can on the 50 cal. Is that PE? Turned out nice.
Great job mike!
Great job, Mike. I have been planning to get one of those. You certainly made a winner out of the kit.
Thanks very much for the questions, and compliments folks. I’ll try and answer the questions that were asked in the order they were asked.
Nate (Nachflieger)! will I be building another tank destroyer? I’m currently trying to salvage a basket case Stug IV that I’ve had lying around for a few years, It’s starting to look promising.
Joe (Panther44) Joe I’m not sure that there is a color you can put in the lower part of the taillite as that is the blackout portion of the lite assy. If anything from a modelling point I’d just put a dash of black in there. Your question on the r/h fender area showing what appears to be small holes was my first attempt at trying to simulate a weld bead using a hot soldering iron. This is a very touchy procedure and can result in what you see. The fix for this will be a small dab of filler in the holes. Don’t worry about the dirt question, my work still tends to be more on the clean side! that might have something to do with spending alot of time on the washrack as a young rookie tanker.
Steve (Crockett) thanks for your comments and here’s a pic of the interior lower part of the turret. 
there are other shots of it on the Tank destroyer group build page.
Matt (Matthew9) the ammo can is a PE part from the royal models PE set for the M18. I did have to make a new barrel as I broke the orginal so the new one is made from a brass nail.
CFRUSSELL ! to answer your question on the painting of tools on most US vehicles they are usually painted OD or whatever other scheme may make up the color palate. Of course it wears off due to use in the field.
Thanks to each of you for your interest and helping to make me a better builder of models. Semper Fi, Mike
Very nice work. Out of all the allied equipment, this has got to be one of my favourites.
You did a very nice, clean, and consistent job. i wouldn’t change a thing. Excellent, and thanks for the pics.
Beautiful job on the build.